Plumber&#39;s plug



Feb. 16, 1937. E. B. BROOKE 2,070,579

PLUMBER'S PLUG Filed Feb. s, 1956 Fac s 1 3:

INVENTOR Edward B. Brown.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE V 9 Claims.

My invention relates to means for stopping leaks in pressure containers, such as pipe lines, boilers and'tanks. The principal object of the inventionis to provide aplug which maybe appliedin a minimum of time and which will effectively stop a leak. A further object is the provision of a plug which has sufficient tenacity to withstand the shearing forces incident to its application, and which will :flow under compression so as effectively to fill, all of the depressions and inequalities in the opening to be plugged, and withstand high pressure. A still further object of the invention is to provide a'plug of the character described which shall make good electrical contact with the :opening :and provide a means for grounding the object to which it is applied to minimize corrosion 'by electrolysis.

A still further :object .of my invention is the provision, in .a plug forstopping leaks, of a reinforced metallic bushing made of two metals, one of which isadapted to withstand :the shearing forces incident to the application of the :plug, andthe other of which has thepropertyof flowing under compression tofill all inequalities :in the :opening to be plugged;

.Astill further object of my invention is to --pro- 7 vide a means for making a service connection "to :a pressure container which may be readily .applied :in .a minimum of time, and which, when :applied,:sha'll form .a rigid pressure tight connection with the container.

Briefly, my invention is .arplug comprisingan expansible bushing composedof .two metals, one

areinforcing member of ductile material having :a relatively high tenacity. so as to resist the shearing force exerted'whe'n expanded into a:hole to be stopped, and the other metal surrounding the reinforcing member being soft and having the property of flowing under compression. "The bushing :is expanded by means .of a .bolt extending through it having a conical head for expanding 'theibushing -from inside the opening, and a nut for drawing :the conical head inwardly of the bushing to expand it.

The reinforcing :member should be of a metal or an .alloy'having the'properties -of ductility and tenacity on atheio'rder of copper, aluminum, soft .steeLMonel metal orthe like, while the soft metal or alloy surrounding the reinforcing member should have the properties of deformation and flowing under pressure on the order of lead.

While-expanded lead bushings have heretofore been employed in stoppingleaks and plugging holes in :metalcontainers, their use has been greatly restricted du to the a t t at t y must even around the edge.

.By employing a copper sleeve as a reinforcingmember and surrounding the same with lead,

be expanded from Within the containerand when subjected to :sufilcient expanding force to fill the voids and inequalities about the hole and withstand pressure, the lead would shearat the edge of the -hole, causing theplug to be blown out by the pressure within the container. I have also experimented with copper alone as the expansible bushing, but its lack of the property of flowing under pressure, resultedin the bushing being expanded to form pressure tightcontact only around the edge of a-smoothopening. In such case the slightest corrosion would again start a leak. Where :the edge of the opening was burned or uneven, as is more often the case, the copper sleeve would fail to make pressure tight contact when the copper sleeve is expanded, the layer of lead around the expanded portion of thesleeve flowsiinto allsdepressions and uneven places and also completely fills the space between the bolt :and'the sleeve, even :flowing into and filling the threads of the :bolt. Theresult is an extremely tight permanent stopping of the opening.

.My improved plug -;may also be employed as means to minimize corrosion in underground pipe lines. It is now the consensusof opinion that a great deal of corrosion is caused by-electrolysis where pipes pass through damp or acid soil. "Where my improved plug is employed under such conditions, I connect to it a bare copper wire which is :laid in the soil fora suitable'distance to ground the pipe effectively. Inasmuch as the .plug has excellent electrical contact with the --walls of the: pipe, stray electrical currents passing through the pipe are-passed into theground, without causing the pipe to pit and corrode.

Devices embodying features of my invention are illustrated in "the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application,-inwhich Fig. .1 is -a view in elevation showing my improved plug in position to be installed in anopen- .ing in .a pressure container, a fragment of the latter being shown in section;

Fig. .2 isa sectional view showing my improved plug in place with ground wire attached;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the reinforced bushing employed in my improved plug;

Fig. 4 .is :a view similar ,to Fig. 1, showing a modified :form of my invention, in which an expander is employed both on the inside and outside of the opening;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the modification shown i-nEig. 4 in place; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional View showing a service connection for a pressure container, in which my improved reinforced bushing is, employed.

Referring to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention,-my improved plug comprises a bushing Illwhich fits loosely into an opening II in the wall I2 ofthe container to which it is applied. The bushing I has'a flange I3 which surrounds the opening II on the outside of the container. .Passing through the bushing I0 is a bolt I Ihaving a conical head I6. A washer I1, is interposed between the flange I3 of the bushing I 0, and a jack, nut I8 which serves to 1 draw the bolt I4 upwardly through the bushing screw onto the upper end (as shown in. the (drawing) of the bolt: I4. A lock nut 22jmay be employed to tighten the piece of pipe 2| on to the bolt Mtt'o prevent its becoming disengaged and -dropping.- As shown, if the bushing III makes a f rathersnu g fit with the opening II; the pipe 2| may be struck with a hammer or othersuitable toolt o drive it in place before tightening the jack nut I8. The jack nut I8 is then tightened to expand the bushing Ill against the walls of the opening, w

Referring now particularly to Fig. '3, of the drawing, it will be seen that my improved bushing I0 consists of areinforcing sleeve 23 which is preferably made of copper or other metal or alloy having similar properties' of'ductility and tenacity; The reinforcing sleeve 23 is also preferably provided withia s'mall outer flange 24to reinforce the flange I3. In makingthe bushing III the reinforcing sleeve is tinned, placed in a mold, and "lead, or 'other metal or alloy having similar properties of deformatioh'and' flow under compression,'is cast around the sleeve to form aheavy outer flange 26 and relatively thin inner and outer Walls 2'! and 28 for the'c'ylindrical portion of the bushing." Q

Whenthe jack nut I8 is tightened down, drawing the conical portion I6 of the bolt I 4-inwardly 1 of thesleeve, the reinforcing member 23, as shown in Fig. 2, is expanded outwardly into virtual'contact withthe side of the opening Il,there being only a very thin layer of leadbetween the reinforcing-member and the wall of the opening.

Also, as will be seen from Fig. 2,'the outer end of the bushing is likewise expanded by the flow of the lead under compression, and the lead'flows inwardly of the bushing to completely fill the space around the bolt, and flows into the threads of the bolt. 7 The property of deformation. and

flow under compression of the lead also causes it to flll up completely all inequalities in the opening and thereby effectively stop any'leak through 7 the opening; The tenacity of the copper or similar metal of which the reinforcing sleeve is made is such" as to prevent shearing of the plug at the edge of the opening I Lwhen'the jacknut I 8 is tightened.

Theicomponents of the parts of the plug are preferably made of good" electrical conducting,

- corrosionresisting material. The bolt I4 may be made of Tobin or phosphor bronze, which is very tough and has a relatively high tensile strength. The washer I! and nut I8may be made of turning'brass. As shown in Fig. 2, a ground connec-' tion 29 may be connected to the outer end of the boltI4 by means of the lock nut 22 to minimize corrosion, as already explained.

Referring now to Fig; 4, I show a modified form of my invention which is designed for stopping leaks in relatively thicker wall containers. In accordance with this modification, I employ a conical bushing 3| between the washer I1 and the bushing III, which serves better to expand the outer "end of'the bushing I0 and the reinforcing sleeve 24. As shown in Fig. 5,. the conical bushing BI is forced inwardly of the bushing I0 and spreads it outwardly into contact with the walls of the opening II. At the same'time the soft metal flows into all the openings around the bolt. and bushing. This form of my invention is especially adapted for. stopping leaks in the walls of cast iron pipe, holes drilled in such metal being usually more irregular than those made in other metals.

Referring to-Fig. 60f the'drawinggIshow a means for making a service connection to'a pressure container. 'In accordance with this modificationyinstead of the bolt I4, I employ atubular' connector 32, which tubular connector has a conical shaped inner end 33 Whichacts, asdoes the conicalhead I6 of the bolt I 4, tospread the bushing II! and fill the opening. A connection may be made to the outer'end of the tubular member 7 32 in any Well known manner.

In applying my improved plug, the leak tobe a stopped or opening in the side of the container is made by drilling, or with a suitable drift punch inserted in the openingand'thejack-nutI8 drawn up to expand thebushing as described. The lock nut 22 may be employed to prevent loosening of the jack'nut I8, but even if the' latter shouldbecome loose theplug would'be held in place by Y reason of the pressure within the container and the fact that the soft metal has flowed into the threads of the bolt I8.

While I have described my improved'expansible; bushing as preferably beingmade of lead with a reinforcing sleeve made of. copper embedded in 01 alloys, many of which will suggest'themselves tothoseskilled in the art,'an'd having the requisite From the foregoing it will be-apparentthat I have devised an improved plug for stopping leaks in pressure containers which is extremelysimple,

strong enough to withstand theshearing forces encountered in its application, and' which has the property of flowing under compression to an extent to fill completely the inequalitiesin theopening; I v

WhileiIchave shown my invention in'but two forms, 'it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but. is. susceptible of various other changes and modifications, without to the proper size to permit the ready insertion of j the cylindrical portion of the bushing I0; The

- the lead, it is to be understood that other metals departing from the spirit thereof,- and I desire,

'inforcing member embedded: in the bushing made .there fore,- that only such limitations shall ,be Y

placed' thereupon as are imposed by the prior art of a ductile metalhaving a tenacity on the order of copper, a bolt having a flared expanding head fitting in the bushing and a nut for drawing the flared head inwardly of the bushing.

2. A plug of the character described comprising a bushing made of lead, a reinforcing sleeve embedded in the lead, a bolt extending through the bushing having a flared expanding head, and a nut for drawing the flared head inwardly of the bushing.

3. A plug adapted for fitting in an opening in a pressure container, comprising a lead bushing for insertion in the opening and having an external flange bearing around the edge of the opening, a copper reinforcing sleeve substantially coextensive with the bushing embedded therein, a bolt having a conical expanding head extending through the bushing, and a nut for drawing the conical head inwardly of the bushing to expand it to fit tightly in the opening.

4. A plug for expanding in an opening in a pressure container comprising a bushing made of metal adapted to be deformed and flow under compression fitting in the opening; a cylindrical metal reinforcing member embedded in the bushing substantially coextensive therewith, a threaded member having a conical expanding head smaller in diameter than the opening extending through the bushing, and a nut for drawing the conical head inwardly of the bushing.

5. A plug for expanding in an opening in a pressure container comprising a lead bushing fitting in the opening, a cylindrical copper reinforcing member embedded in the bushing substantially coextensive therewith, a bolt having a flared expanding head extending through the bushing, a nut for drawing the flared head inwardly of the bushing, and a ground wire connected to the outer end of the bolt.

6. A plug for expanding in an opening in a pressure container comprising a lead bushing fitting in the opening, a cylindrical copper reinforcing member embedded in the bushing substantially coextensive therewith, a bolt having a conical expanding head extending through the bushing, a conical expanding member surrounding the bolt onthe opposite sideof the bushing from the conical head, and a nut for forcing both the expanding member and expanding head inwardly of the bushing.

'7. A device for making a service connection to a pressure container, a lead bushing, a copper cylindrical reinforcing member embedded in the bushing, a threaded tube having a conically expanded end extending through the bushing, and a nut for drawing the conically expanded head inwardly of the bushing.

8. A device of the character described comprising a bushing made of metal adapted to be deformed and flow under compression, an aluminum cylindrical reinforcing member embedded in the bushing, a threaded member extending through the bushing, a conical shaped head on the threaded member for expanding the bushing, and a nut for drawing the threaded member into the bushing.

9. A device of the character described comprising a bushing made of metaladapted to be deformed and flow under compression, a soft steel cylindrical reinforcing member embedded in the bushing, a threaded member extending through the bushing, a conical shaped head on the threaded member for expanding the bushing, and a nut for drawing the threaded member into the bushing,

EDWARD B. BROOKE. 

